Gegeen Khan

Gegeen Khan (Mongolian: Гэгээн хаан; Mongol script: ᠭᠡᠭᠡᠨ ᠬᠠᠭᠠᠨ; Shidebal Gegegen qaγan; Chinese: 格堅汗), born Shidibala (ᠰᠢᠳᠡᠪᠠᠯᠠ; 碩德八剌), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Yingzong of Yuan (Chinese: 元英宗; February 22, 1302 – September 4, 1323), was an emperor of the Yuan dynasty of China.

This was the first violent transition struggle in the Yuan dynasty's history, which is also known as the Coup d'état at Nanpo (南坡之變), that an emperor was overthrown by a group led by a non-Borjigin.

Prince Shidibala was the eldest son of Ayurbarwada Buyantu Khan (Emperor Renzong) and Radnashiri of the Khunggirad clan.

[3] Dagi's protégé Temuder was made as tutor to the heir apparent, Shidibala, after he failed to increase tax revenue.

Immediately after her grandson's succession, Dagi reinstated Temüder as Minister of the Secretariat and took politics into her own hands more openly than during Ayurbarwada's reign.

At length the young prince began to feel the leading strings of the Empress Dowager and Temudar rather irksome, and determined to speed on his inauguration.

[5] However, Baiju, the commander of the kheshig, who was descended from Muqali, the renowned general of Genghis Khan, and was a man of high character, gained great influence over the Emperor, and displaced that of Temuder.

In 1321 Shidbala built a Buddhist temple in honor of 'Phags-pa Lama on the mountains west of Dadu,[6] and when the censors reproached him he had several of them put to death; among them a very distinguished officer, named Soyaoelhatimichi, whose ancestors had been faithful dependents of the Mongol Imperial house.

Temudar thought this a favourable opportunity of regaining his influence at the Yuan court, and presented himself at the palace, but was refused admittance, and died shortly after that.

The severe suppression of the powerful faction including the deprivation of Temüder's titles and estates, the execution of his son drove it into the corner.

[11] Soon after becoming his own master and with the help of Baiju, Gegeen Khan began to reform the government based on the Confucian principles, continued his father Ayurbarwada's policies for active promoting Chinese cultures.

Heading of this list, Zhang Gui, a veteran administrator, was reappointed manager of governmental affairs and became Baiju's chief partner in carrying out reforms.